The roots of yoga are in the ancient vedic and tantric texts; many of which have remained inaccessible to western readers until the last century. Much of the teachings were kept secret; firstly, because they had been banned by a Hindu priesthood that felt threatened by anarchic schools of self-liberation; and secondly, for fear that the powerful techniques could be misused by misguided opportunists.

Swami (now Paramahansa) Satyananda Saraswati was one of the renegades who shocked the yogic establishment by not only translating the tantric texts and teaching the techniques to western students; but then went on to publish an entire series of books, clarifying and promoting yoga in an unprecedented way.

Satyananda’s other significant move was to bring yoga into the domain of medical science, and explain esoteric techniques in terms of western anatomy and physiology. He started the Bihar Yoga Bharati, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate studies in subjects like Yoga Psychology and Applied Yoga Science; and initiated the Yoga Research Foundation which studies the medical effects of yoga.

Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha (APMB) is a required text for any serious yoga aspirant. It not only clears away the mysticism around yoga left behind by the early Theosophists, and revived by the New-Ageists; but gives a sound theoretical foundation enabling one to understand the underlying purpose and efficient practice of yoga techniques.

The clarity of the illustrations and the wealth of information will ensure many years of delving into this classic reference work.

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